Share this @internewscast.com

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired a suspected long-range ballistic missile into the sea Monday in a resumption of its weapons testing activities, its neighbors said, as the North vows retaliatory steps against U.S. and South Korean moves to boost their nuclear deterrence plans.

South Korea’s military said in a statement that North Korea launched what appeared to be a long-range ballistic missile from its capital region Monday morning. It said South Korea maintain a readiness while exchanging information about the launch with U.S. and Japanese authorities.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said it also spotted a ballistic missile launch by North Korea. A ministry statement said that the missile was still in flight and that it was expected to land in waters outside the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters that he had so far received no report of injuries or damages from the missile launch and that he planned to hold a National Security Council meeting to discuss the test.

The launch came hours after South Korea reported North Korea conducted a short-range ballistic missile test into the sea Sunday night. It was the North’s first weapons launch in about a month.

Observers said the North’s back-to-back launches were likely a protest against the moves by South Korea and the United States to bolster their nuclear deterrence plans in the face of North Korea’s evolving nuclear threats.

Senior U.S. and South Korean officials met in Washington over the weekend and agreed to update their nuclear deterrence and contingency strategies and incorporate nuclear operation scenarios in their combined military exercises next summer.

On Sunday, North Korea’s Defense Ministry slammed its rivals’ move to include nuclear operation scenarios in their joint drills, describing it as an open threat to potentially use nuclear weapons against the North. It vowed to prepare unspecified “offensive countermeasures.”

“The armed forces of (North Korea) will thoroughly neutralize the U.S. and its vassal forces’ attempt to ignite a nuclear war,” the North Korean statement said. “Any attempt by the hostile forces to use armed force against (North Korea) will face a preemptive and deadly counteraction.”

Animosities between the two Koreas deepened after North Korea launched its first military reconnaissance satellite into space Nov. 21 in violation of U.N. bans.

South Korea, the U.S. and Japan strongly condemned the launch, viewing it as an attempt by the North to improve its missile technology as well as establish a space-based surveillance system.

South Korea announced plans to resume front-line aerial surveillance in response. North Korea quickly retaliated by restoring border guard posts, officials in Seoul said. Both steps would breach a 2018 inter-Korean deal on easing front-line military tensions.


Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Bitcoin Dips Below $118K as Rally Cools, But Coinbase Sees Firm Ground Ahead

Bitcoin Falls Under $118K as Surge Slows, While Coinbase Experiences Expansion

Bitcoin slipped below $118,000 on Friday amid profit-taking, while ETH and XRP…
Friday Morning Minute: Keep on the Sunny Side

Friday Morning Minute: Embrace the Sunshine

TOP O’ THE MORNIN’ Red-Hot at RedState  As you might imagine, things…
Feds' California Home Depot raid nabs 11 illegal migrants, one with 67 prior jail bookings

Federal Authorities Arrest 11 Undocumented Immigrants at California Home Depot; One Individual Has 67 Previous Jail Bookings

Even as California officials resist federal immigration enforcement efforts, Border Patrol agents…
Suspect Steven Montano testifies in own defense in trial for murder of Chicago police Officer Andrés Vásquez Lasso

Steven Montano Takes the Stand in Defense During Trial for the Murder of Chicago Officer Andrés Vásquez Lasso

CHICAGO (WLS) — Closing arguments could be presented to the jury as…
US immigration news: ICE arrests at courts in Chicago, nationwide labeled 'unlawful' in new lawsuit against Trump administration

Lawsuit Accuses Trump Administration of ‘Unlawful’ ICE Arrests at Chicago and Nationwide Courthouses: A New Debate in US Immigration

CHICAGO (WLS) — A fresh lawsuit claims that the U.S. Department of…
New: Unearthed Video Provides Smoking Gun for Adam Schiff's Alleged Mortgage Fraud

Breaking: Discovered Footage Reveals Key Evidence in Adam Schiff’s Alleged Mortgage Fraud

With a new president at the helm and the Department of Justice…
'General Hospital' star Tristan Rogers announces cancer diagnosis

‘General Hospital’ Actor Tristan Rogers Reveals He Is Battling Cancer

The Australian actor first appeared on “General Hospital” more than 40 years…
Aftermath of a car driving into a crowd in Los Angeles.

Vehicle Incident in Los Angeles Leaves Over 20 Injured, Including Five Critically

AT least 20 people have been injured after a vehicle ploughed into…
Welcome to CryptoFile: Your D.C. Insider’s Guide to the Crypto Revolution

Introducing CryptoFile: Your Guide to the Crypto Revolution from a D.C. Insider’s Perspective

Welcome to CryptoFile: Your D.C. Insider’s Guide to the Crypto Revolution Welcome…
Explosion reported at LA Sheriff's facility

Blast Occurs at LA Sheriff’s Office Facility

Aerial footage shows the explosion happened in a parking lot filled with…
Woman undergoing an MRI scan.

Tragic Accident: Man Fatally Injured by MRI Machine While Wearing Metal Necklace

A MAN has died after he was sucked into an MRI machine…
What to know about arson and explosives units after blast at training facility in Los Angeles

Understanding the Role of Arson and Explosives Units Following a Blast at a Los Angeles Training Center

On Friday, three officers from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s arson…